The principal of Community High School, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs Rachael Alamu, has revealed why the kidnappers who abducted staff and pupils from the school killed two teachers during their 56-day captivity.
The slain teachers were Mathematics teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, who was beheaded in captivity, and Mr Esiyan Adegboye, 49, who was shot during the abduction. Adegboye was buried in Ogbomoso on May 22.
Speaking to journalists on Monday after she and other rescued teachers and pupils were received by Governor Seyi Makinde at the Oyo State Government House, Alamu said the kidnappers deliberately killed the teachers to pressure the government into meeting their demands.
“There were times we believed we would all come out alive. The terrorists killed Mr Michael, the first teacher, on the second day of our abduction, while Deacon, the second teacher, was killed on the first Sunday of June.
“They killed them purposely because they believed it would force the government to give them whatever they wanted. They knew the whole world was paying attention to our case. We have scars, but we believe God will heal us. We appreciate everyone who contributed to our rescue,” she said.
Alamu recounted the harsh conditions the victims endured in captivity, saying the children were beaten into silence whenever they cried, while the male teachers were chained and blindfolded. She added that the captives were repeatedly forced to undertake dangerous night-time treks through the forest to evade security operatives.
According to her, the victims spent most of the 56 days in the open forest, exposed to harsh weather while struggling to keep the children safe and emotionally stable.
“You can only imagine it. It was not easy. We stayed in the forest, in the open, most of the time, under the sun and in the rain, with the children. But we kept going because there was no way out.
“We knew only God could help us, and we believed people were praying for us. That kept us going,” she said.
Although she was not physically assaulted, Alamu disclosed that several of the younger pupils were severely beaten whenever they cried or made noise.
The rescued teachers and pupils were formally handed over to the Oyo State Government by the Federal Government after security agencies secured their release following more than 50 days in captivity.
A video shared by Oyo Affairs showed the victims arriving at the state secretariat in a van under heavy military escort before being received by government officials.
Before Monday’s handover, the rescued victims had been receiving medical treatment and psychosocial support at the Military Hospital in Ibadan, where Governor Seyi Makinde visited them on Saturday.
Also, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, visited the rescued teachers and pupils at the military hospital.
